Art of making stockings



(No Model.)

M. LANDENBERGER, Jr.

ART OF MAKING STOCKINGS.

No. 284,026. Patented Aug. 28, 18813..

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARTIN LANDENBERGER, JIt, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ART OF MAKING STOCKINGS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 284,026, dated August 28, 11883.

Application filed September 29, 1882. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, MARTIN Lnnnnnnnn- GER, Jr., a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement in the Art of Mak ing Stockings, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to make in a simpler manner than usual a stocking having no seam in the foot or in the bottom of the heel; and this object I attain in the manner which I will now proceed to describe, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side view of the foot and part of the leg of the stocking; Figs. 2, 8, and 4,

diagrams showing the method of making the same; and Fig. 5, a view of part of the knitted tube before the same has been seamed to complete the stocking.

Ordinary cut and sewed stockings have objectionable seams in the foot and heel, and the aim of my invention is to dispense with such seams, and yet avoid the necessity of resort ing to the usual widening and narrowing operations adopted in making seamless heels.

The foot a and leg b of my stocking are without seams, the foot having the toe formed thereon by a curved row of stitches in the usual manner, and there being on each side of the heel a diagonal seam, (Z, which does not extend around the heel, the bottom of the latter being without seams, as shown in Fig. 1.

In making the stocking I proceed as follows, reference being had to Figs. 2, 3, and 4 of the drawings, in which f represents an ordinary .circular-knitting-machine head, having either barbed or latch needles. The tube is knitted full to the point where it is desired to commence the formation of the foot, as in Fig. 2. A portion of the tube adjacent to the head f is then cut away, as shown in Fig. 3, so as to leave a strip, y, the needles around a portion,

00, of the head being free from stitches. The

stitches on the. edge on of the opening in the tube are then run onto the needles around the said portion of the head, as shown in Fig. 4c, and the knitting of the foot is proceeded with. The bringing of the cut edge at of the tube down to the needles of the head f causes the strip 9 to assume the form of a bag or pocket, as shown in Fig. 4, and in completing the stocking the edges a n of this bag or pocket are trimmed and sewed together to properly form the heel with side scams, (1, as shown in Fig. 1. In making the stocking, however, it isnot essential that the tube should be cut and the stitches around the edge at of the opening run onto the needles around the portion a: of the head, as these needles, 011 the comple tion of the ankle portion of the tube, may be thrown out of action, but permitted to retain their stitches, the knitting being proceeded with on the needles of the portion 1/ of the head until a strip of the desired length is formed, and the needles of the portion m being then thrown into action again, this plan being preferably adopted on circular-knitting machines having latch-needles.

The knitting on the needles of the portion 4 of the head may be effected by reciprocating the guide back and forth around this portion only of the head, or by rotating the guide, as usual, and permitting the threads to float behind the needles of the portion a", the floating threads being afterward cut off.

The method described of forming a bulge or pocket on the rear of the tube is simpler and more readily carried out than the usual plan of throwing needle after needle out of action to narrow the web, andthen bringing them consecutively into action again to widen it, as described in various patents, such as that of Shaw, No. 200,225, February 12, 1878.

I therefore claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The mode herein described .of making a stocking, said mode consisting in knitting a tube for the leg and ankle, forming at one side of the tube a folded strip, y, of uniform width throughout, and of a length sufficient for the heel, knitting a continuation of the ankle-tube for the production of a seamless foot, closing the end of said tube to form the toe, and trimming and uniting the edges of the folded strip 9 to complete the heel, as set forth.

2. The mode herein described of making a stocking, said mode consisting in knitting a tube long enough for the leg, ankle, and heel, cutting out a portion of said tube and removing it from the needles, so as to leave a strip, In testimony whereof I have signedmy name applying to said needles the stitches around to this specification in the presence of two sub- IO the upper edge of the opening, thereby folldscribing witnesses. v ing the strip 9 resuming the knitting of t e i i 5 tube to form aseamless foot, closing the end MARTIN LANDDNBDRGER 0f the tube for the toe, and uniting the edges of Witnesses: the folded strip 9 to complete the heel, as set HARRY DRURY, forth. HARRY SMITH. 

